Keeping Up Your Motivation Any Time of Year

Dreary or sunny, rainy or clear, no matter what the weather, we can make up some excuse to skip the workout. But what inevitable follows is regret and self-loathing. This time, skip the guilt, save yourself from searching for a quick fix with bogus fad diets, and keep yourself motivated with our handy tips below.

Fight Aliens or Be a Superhero

No, really. Mobile gaming apps have come a long way. You can use your smartphone for so much more than Facebook and check-ins. When the urge to settle in with your phone or tablet hits, Superhero Workout will have you up and moving, completing twelve workouts, forty-two bodyweight exercises, and twenty epic missions in order to save the world.

Can you save the world, while avoiding the winter blahs, in the process? Run, Zombie is great for new runners. With this app, you prepare for a 5K while staying one step ahead of the zombie horde.

Online Fitness Tracker

Whether you post your fitness updates on Facebook or you use an online fitness tracker, having your goals and successes out there can help keep you pumped and ready for more. MyFitnessPal, DailyMile, FriendFit, and Map My Run let users track their progress. Put your competitive nature to good use. It’s hard to ditch the workout when you can compete with friends.

Monetary Reward

You’ve heard that you should reward yourself for working out. Well, these fitness apps take it in a different direction. CharityMiles tracks your distance, awarding you with 10 cents a mile for bikers, 25 cents a mile for runners or walkers—and then donates your earnings to the charity of your choice.

Pact offers a reward that will really motivate: you can earn, or lose, money if you don’t keep your fitness contract. It’s flexible, with a choice of three Pacts, so whether you want to eat more veggies, hit the gym, or make better food choices by food logging, Pact lets you earn cash for living healthily (and is paid out by the members who fail to keep their goals). Now your workout is really paying off!

Schedule a Regular Workout Time

Pencil it in. Figure out the best time for a workout—and stick to it! Keep your exercise items, like your shorts, shoes, yoga ball, Promax Protein Bars, and weights in plain sight. It will serve as a constant reminder that you will be using these things that day–and help combat any time crunch. Knowing exactly when you will use them is even better. Plus, by giving yourself easy access to them, it’s a lot harder to come up with reasons not to actually use them.

It won’t always be easy. Sometimes, you might slip up. Push through that workout! Use our tips to stay on top of your fitness goals—and hopefully keep any slip-ups to a minimum.